Cleaner with auxiliary air flow

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a floor care appliance in which an auxiliary flow of air is introduced to floor care appliance mainstream air after the same has passed through the dirt bag, motor, and suction fan system. An advantageous arrangement is arrived at that provides a much lower air discharge temperature and an advantageous cooling of the cleaner body in the area of this air discharge.

United States Patent Crouser et al.

CLEANER WITH AUXILIARY AIR FLOW Inventors: Darwin S. Crouser, NorthCanton;

Joseph A. Powers, Canton, both of Ohio The Hoover Company, North Canton,Ohio Filed: Apr. 17, 1973 Appl. No.: 352,008

Assignee:

U.S. Cl. 15/412, 15/300 A, 15/327 E Int. Cl A471 9/22 Field of Search15/327 E, 300 A, 412, 413;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1966 Hayes et al. 15/314 X Feb.18, 1975 Porter at al 417/423 R X Harbeck et al. 15/413 PrimaryExaminer-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore [57] ABSTRACTThe invention provides a floor care appliance in which an auxiliary flowof air is introduced to floor care appliance mainstream air after thesame has passed through the dirt bag, motor, and suction fan system. Anadvantageous arrangement is arrived at that provides a much lower airdischarge temperature and an advantageous cooling of the cleaner body inthe area of this air discharge.

10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBY8|975 3.866.263

SHEET 10F 6 FIG. 9

FATENTEU F5] 1 8 5 SHEET 3 OF 6 FATENTEU I 3.866.263

i SHE-ET an; e

CLEANER WITH AUXILIARY AIR FLOW BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention This invention relates, generally, to floor careappliances and, more specifically, relates to floor care applianceshaving an auxiliary air flow introduced to the floor care appliance forcooling purposes.

2. Description of the Prior Art The use of auxiliary air flow forcooling purposes in electrically actuated floor care appliances isgenerally old and well known. Such auxiliary air flow has been utilizedto cool the electric motor driving the fan generating suction, toseparate a moist suction discharge on floor care machines from the motorcompartment and to provide suction relief upstream from the electricmotor toeliminate the possibility of motor burn-out by clogging of thedirt-laden suction stream. However, none of the aforesaid uses ofauxiliary air have been found as effective for cooling the discharge.air stream and its adjacent cleaner structure as an auxiliary air flowwhich is introduced directly into-the pressure air flow immediatelybefore the exhaust of the same from the floor care appliance.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a floor care appliancewith an auxiliary cooling flow of air which was introduced into theexhaust air stream immediately prior to exhaust, thereby cooling onlythis stream and the floor care appliance structure located adjacent toit.

It would be advantageous to provide such an auxiliary stream with only aminimum of additional structural intricacy being added to the floor careappliance.

It would also be advantageous to provide such an auxiliary air flow ofsufficient quantity without the imposition of a significant, additionalfan horsepower requirement or the added heat of compression dictated byother auxiliary air systems so that the effective cooling of such anarrangement would permit the use of plastic for the housing of thecleaner and related parts and yet permit application of a highperformance motor as a driving means for the fan system.

It would still be a further advantage of the auxiliary air introductionsystem that a reduction in suction air flow and a consequent increase inpressure air discharge temperature would be mitigated against by anincrease in auxiliary air flow due to the drop of back pressure causedby the reduced pressure air flow. Thus, increased cooling air would beavailable when most needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the principles of theinvention, a floor care appliance, such as a canister cleaner, isprovided in which cleaner air flow is caused to move through a filterbag contained in the cleaner, through a motor situated downstream of thefilter bag and through a fan system for providing a pressuredifferential to urge dirt-laden air into the filter bag.

Disposed behind this fan system may conveniently be arranged anadditional fan means that may be an actual fan structure or a viscousfan which motivates a secondary flow of auxiliary ambient air into thecleaner. Such air may be, advantageously, drawn through the rear of thecanister cleaner by means of a louvered assembly so as to maintain thisair flow discrete from the suction air flow being provided at thecanister cleaner nozzle. The auxiliary air is discharged peripherallyoutwardly by this fan means so that it merges directly with thedischarge or pressure air from the suction inducing fan system after itpasses through that fan system, the motor, and filter bag. Exit louverson the top side of the cleaner are utilized to lead the mixed suctionair and auxiliary air to atmosphere discharge.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference may now be had to the appendeddrawings for a better understanding of the invention, both as to itsorganization and function, with the illustration being only exemplary,and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a canister cleaner incorporating theinvention; 7

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the invention with certainfeatures shown schematically;

FIG. 3 is a plan 'view of the cleaner, partly broken away, with certainfeatures shown schematically;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, sectional, elevational view, generally of the fansection of the cleaner, with certain features shown schematically;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken on line 55 of FIG. 4,with certain parts removed and certain features shown schematically;

FIG.'6 is across-sectional elevational view taken on line 66 of FIG. 4,with certain features of the invention shown schematically;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken on line 77 of FIG. 4,with certain features of the invention shown schematically;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken on line 88 of FIG. 4,with certain features thereof shown schematically; and

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional elevational view taken on line 9-9of FIG. 3, with certain features of the invention shown schematically.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Refering now to FIGS. 1, 2 and3, there is shown a canister cleaner 10 having a split casing 12 formingan enclosure for the internal operating components of the cleaner 10.Rear wheels 14, 14 and front wheel 16 permit the cleaner 10 to be easilymoved about the floor. Suction tube 18 (only partially shown) mayconveniently terminate in a nozzle (not shown) for the pick up of grimeor dirt encrusted in or present on the rugs or floors being cleaned.Handle 20 is provided at the front end of the cleaner 10 so that it maybe easily carried by the user of the cleaner 10.

Exhaust louvers 22 are disposed in a top portion 23 of the split casing12 to provide an exit arrangement for pressure air moved into thecleaner by the motivating means disposed therein. Auxiliary air intakelouvers 24 are positioned in a rear face 25 of the cleaner 10 so as toprovide a convenient entrance for the auxiliary air utilized in coolingin the instant invention.

The cleaner 10 includes a conventional dust bag 26 disposed upstream ofan electric motor 28 so that the suction air moves through the dust baginto the motor as urged by a fan section 30 provided downstream from thedust bag 26 and motor 28.

The structure so far described is substantially conventional and theflow of suction air through the motor 28 is also substantiallyconventional. More specifically,

. suction air moves through the filter bag 26 and then passes into themotor 28 by either moving into the motor 28 through an end bell 32 or byentering through a series of slots 34 extending longitudinally (axially)of the motor 28, or through apertures 36 disposed near the rear portionof the motor 28.

The inventive aspects of the cleaner can now be more readily appreciatedby referring to FIGS. 4 through 8. It can be seen therein that suctionair flows outwardly of motor 28 substantially axially by beingdischarged througha casing end face 37 so as to be presented to an eye39 of a centrifugal fan 38 of fan section 30. This fan discharges thepartially pressurized air radially peripherally into a diffuser 40 sothat the air can again be directed inwardly (radially) to be dischargedaxially intoan eye 41 of a second centrifugal fan 42. v

The fan 42, as well as the fan 38, are substantially conventional sothat no further description of them will be offered, it being sufficientto note that the discharge from the second centrifugal fan 42 movesoutwardly past a fan baffle 44 having struck-out peripheral directingvanes 46, each of which provides an aperture and a'louver to maintainthe pressure flow of the discharge air parallel to the axis of thecleaner 10 and spaced outwardly therefrom. The baffle 44 as well as thedirecting vanes 46 serve as a diffuser arrangement to convert a portionof the velocity of the pressure air to pressure and thereby reducesnoise produced by this air stream. The baffle 44 may also include aseries of integral dimples 47. which provide rigidity to its disk shape.

Air moves from the directing vanes 46 towards the rear of the cleanerand exhausts through a passageway 48 provided by the radially innertermination of a fan housing 50 that covers and serves as a guard forthe fans 38 and 40 as well as providing a closed chamber for directingthe flow of air within it.

Auxiliary air enters through the auxiliary air intake louvers 24 (FIG.2) and moves through a compartment 52 provided for a cord reel 54 or thelike which may be utilized to store a power cord (not shown) for thecleaner 10. A baffle or partition 56 closes off the cord reelcompartment 52 from the forward portion of the cleaner 10 so as toisolate the cord and power reel from the fan system 30, motor 28 andother parts of the cleaner 10.

The baffle or partition 56 (FIG. 4) includes a series of slots 58 formedcentrally thereof in a hat-shaped portion 60 of the baffle 56. Morespecifically, an annular, axially extending projection is formedintegrally with the partition 56, with the same providing an attachmentmeans for an auxiliary air boot 62 which leads the flow of auxiliary airinto an auxiliary fan 64.

Auxiliary air boot 62 includes a collar portion 66 of annularconfiguration which fits tightly against hat portion 60 of baffle 56 sothat the auxiliary air flow is directed towards the auxiliary fan 64.Attached integrally to the collar portion 62 is a lead-in portion 68that is formed by extending the collar portion 66 radially inwardly toterminate proximate the slots 58. integrally attached to the lead-inportion 68 is a second collar portion 69 that extends axially so that itforms a fairly tight seal with an outer, annular rim 70, formed on thefan baffle 44;

Both the annular rim 70 of the fan baffle 44 and the second collarportion 69 of the auxiliary air boot 62 are disposed centrally of thecleaner so that the auxiliary air fan 64 is mounted centrally relativeto the eye of the second fan 42. A common shaft 72 may convenientlymount, in tandem, the fan 38, fan 42 and also the auxiliary fan 64 sothat power is easily'supplied to these fans through the shaft 72 fromthe motor 28.

The auxiliary fan 64 may be in the configuration of a paddle wheel withradially extending paddles 73 and also may be relatively thin in widthsince a large volume or air is not needed and since a portion of theauxiliary air flow will be provided merelyby the fact that a confrontingface 75 of fan 42 provides a viscous fan for the induction of auxiliaryair flow Thus, the additional auxiliary air flow required for cooling isconveniently supplied, primarily, by the simplified construction ofauxiliary air fan 64. The flow of this auxiliary air is dischargedbetween an inner face 77 of fan baffle 44 and the confronting face 75 ofthe second fan 42.

This discharged auxiliary air mixes with discharged pressure flow of airin the general volume of cleaner l0 afforded between the baffle 44 andthe termination of the outer radial periphery of the fan 42. It thenmoves through and further mixes, generally, in the area of the directingvanes 46. Additional mixing of this air may then occur downstream ofthis location in the area between the fan baffle 44 and an outer,annular portion 77 of the fan housing 50. The mixed air is dischargedoutwardly of the fan housing 50 by means of the aforementionedpassageway 48 and then led therefrom through a chamber 74 formed by thebaffle or partition 56, the fan housing 50 and the inner periphery ofthe cleaner casing 12.

This air then moves towards discharge through a pair of channel means 76(FIGS. 2 and 9) each formed by an axially extending partition 78 and theinner surface of cleaner casing 12. This partition has an axial extent,

generally, between the fan housing 50 and the front termination of theaforementioned exhaust louvers 22 so that air discharged from thecleaner 10 is exited over a wide area. A series of panels 80, 82 and 84divide the width of each of the passage means 76 so that discharge airfrom the cleaner is also subject to dispersal between the individualchannels formed by these panels.

The manner of operation of the cleaner 10 should now be readilyapparent. Suction air passes through the suction tube 18, dust bag 26,motor 28, fan 38 and fan 42 to be discharged axially outwardly as apressure flow from the fan baffle 44, with the directing vanes 46providing the proper directive force to the air. This pressurized airthen passes through the passageway 48, having already partially mergedand mixed with the fiow of auxiliary air being moved into the cleaner byauxiliary air fan 64.

Auxiliary air enters the cleaner 10 through the auxiliary air intakelouvers 24, through the cord reel compartment 52 and from it throughslots 58 formed in the baffle or partition 56. The auxiliary air-is ledfrom these slots through the auxiliary air boot 62 and from thence tothe center or eye of the auxiliary air fan 64. The auxiliary air isimparted with centrifugal force by the auxiliary air fan to dischargethis air flow radially outwardly of the auxiliary air fan 64 so that itmoves between the fan baffle 44 and the outer face of the secondcentrifugal fan 42. This air then mixes with the suction air as it exitsthrough the fan baffle 44, with direction being given to the combinedflow by the directing vanes 46.

The mixed air undergoes additional mixing in the passageway 48 and isdischarged from the fan housing 50 through passageway 48 and led intothe pair of channel means 76 and from thence to room atmosphere throughthe discharge louvers 22. Thus, the auxiliary air cools only the exhaustsuction air and the cleaner portions downstream of the auxiliary air fan64 so that air discharge temperature and the temperature of portions ofcleaner housing 12 adjacent thereto are effectively reduced to eliminateoperator injury or discomfort caused by impingement of any hot air flowsand cleaner hot spots.

It should now be easily seen that the advantages set out for theinvention in the beginning portion of this specification have beenprovided for by the structure related. It should also be clear that manymodifications could be made to the cleaner structure described whichwould readily occur to one skilled in the art and which would fallwithin the spirit of the description offered. For example, the auxiliaryair louvers 24 could be located differently or dispensed with entirelyif the fitting for the cleaner housing parts was sufficiently loose sothat the leakage of outside air would be of a sufficient quantity, asdriven by the auxiliary air fan 64, to provide the desired reduction intemperature of the discharge air and surrounding cleaner structure. If asmaller temperature drop was required for the discharge air and itssurrounding cleaner structure, the auxiliary air fan 64 could bedispensed with entirely and the flow of cooling air through theauxiliary air louvers 24 could be induced by the viscous fan meansformed by the confronting face 75 of fan 42 so that this face would thenserve as the auxiliary air fan means. Equally obvious othermodifications would readily occur to one skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A floor care appliance for providing a suction flow of air forcleaning purposes having a casing and includmg;

a. a motor and motor-driven suction fan means for providing said suctionflow, said suction flow moving directly through a suction inlet for saidcasing and then through a filter means for said floor care appliance tothen pass through said motor for cooling the same so that thetemperature of the suction flow of air is thereby increased, saidsuction flow of air then passing through said motor-driven suction fanmeans to become a pressure flow of air,

b. an auxiliary means for providing an auxiliary flow of air to saidfloor care appliance,

c. said auxiliary fan means discharging said auxiliary flow of air tosaid pressure flow of air downstream of said motor, immediately adjacentthe downstream discharge of said motor-driven suction fan means, forcooling said pressure flow, without impinging said auxiliary flow of airon said suction flow of air in the volume encompassed by said motor andbetween it and the discharge of said motor-driven suction fan means.

2. In a floor care appliance having an outer casing utilized forcleaning purposes;

a. a motor and motor-driven fan suction means for providing a suctionflow of air through said motor and a pressure flow of air dischargedfrom said motor-driven fan suction means;

b. said suction air moving through a suction inlet for said casing andthen through a filter means for said floor care appliance to then passthrough said motor for cooling thereof;-

c. a secondary flow of air directly induced by said motor-driven fansuction means and discharged directly into said pressure flow of airimmediately downstream of said motor-driven fan suction means and withina fan housing means which encapsulates said motor-driven fan suctionmeans, and is spaced radially inwardly of said outer casing, and

d. said secondary flow of air being discharged into said pressure flowof air downstream of said motor means whereby said secondary flow of airdoes not pass through said motor means.

3. The floor care appliance of claim 1 wherein;

a. said auxiliary fan means and said motor'driven pressure fan means aredriven from a common shaft extending from said motor.

4. The floor care appliance of claim 1 wherein;

a. the combined discharge flow of said suction flow and said auxiliaryflow of air exits from said floor care appliance through spaced louversformed in the top of the housing of said floor care appliance.

5. The floor care appliance of claim 1 wherein;

a. an apertured fan baffle means is disposed downstream of saidauxiliary fan means and said motordriven suction fan means, and

b. said auxiliary air flow is discharged into said pressure flow toprovide a combined flow prior to movement of said flow through saidapertured fan baffle means.

6. The floor care appliance of claim 5 wherein;

a. said apertured fan baffle means includes directing vanes that directsaid combined flow axially of said floor care appliance, and

b. a chamber means disposed downstream of said apertured fan bafflemeans for providing for further mixing of said combined flow.

7. The floor care appliance of claim 6 wherein;

a. a housing is provided for covering and forming said chamber meansaround said auxiliary fan means and said motor-driven suction fan means,and

b. mixing of said auxiliary flow of air and pressure flow of air occurswithin said housing.

8. The floor' care appliance of claim 7 wherein;

a. said apertured fan baffle means is disposed within said housing.

9. The floor care appliance of claim 8 wherein;

a. a passageway means is provided from said fan housing, and

b. said combined flow moves through said passageway means to bedischarged from said floor care appliance.

10. The floor care appliance of claim 9 wherein;

a. said floor care appliance includes a boot means for guiding saidauxiliary air flow to said auxiliary fan means,

b. said boot extending through said housing and opening to saidauxiliary fan means.

1. A floor care appliance for providing a suction flow of air forcleaning purposes having a casing and including; a. a motor andmotor-driven suction fan means for providing said suction flow, saidsuction flow moving directly through a suction inlet for said casing andthen through a filter means for said floor care appliance to then passthrough said motor for cooling the same so that the temperature of thesuction flow of air is thereby increased, said suction flow of air thenpassing through said motor-driven suction fan means to become a pressureflow of air, b. an auxiliary means for providing an auxiliary flow ofair to said floor care appliance, c. said auxiliary fan meansdischarging said auxiliary flow of air to said pressure flow of airdownstream of said motor, immediately adjacent the downstream dischargeof said motor-driven suction fan means, for cooling said pressure flow,without impinging said auxiliary flow of air on said suction flow of airin the volume encompassed by said motor and between it and the dischargeof said motor-driven suction fan means.
 2. In a floor care appliancehaving an outer casing utilized for cleaning purposes; a. a motor andmotor-driven fan suction means for providing a suction flow of airthrough said motor and a pressure flow of air discharged from saidmotor-driven fan suction means; b. said suction air moving through asuction inlet for said casing and then through a filter means for saidfloor care appliance to then pass through said motor for coolingthereof; c. a secondary flow of air directly induced by saidmotor-driven fan suction means and discharged directly into saidpressure flow of air immediately downstream of said motor-driven fansuction means and within a fan housing means which encapsulates saidmotor-driven fan suction means, and is spaced radially inwardly of saidouter casing, and d. said secondary flow of air being discharged intosaid pressure flow of air downstream of said motor means whereby saidsecondary flow of air does not pass through said motor means.
 3. Thefloor care appliance of claim 1 wherein; a. said auxiliary fan means andsaid motor-driven pressure fan means are driven from a common shaftextending from said motor.
 4. The floor care appliance of claim 1wherein; a. the combined discharge flow of said suction flow and saidauxiliary flow of air exits from said floor care appliance throughspaced louvers formed in the top of the housing of said floor careappliance.
 5. The floor care appliance of claim 1 wherein; a. anapertured fan baffle means is disposed downstream of said auxiliary fanmeans and said motor-driven suction fan means, and b. said auxiliary airflow is discharged into said pressure flow to provide a combined flowprior to movement of said flow through said apertured fan baffle means.6. The floor care appliance of claim 5 wherein; a. said apertured fanbaffle means includes directing vanes that direct said combined flowaxially of said floor care appliance, and b. a chamber means disposeddownstream of said apertured fan baffle means for providing for furthermixing of said combined flow.
 7. The floor care appliance of claim 6wherein; a. a housing is provided for covering and forming said chambermeans around said auxiliary fan means and said motor-driven suction fanmeans, and b. mixing of said auxiliary flow of air and pressure flow ofair occurs within said housing.
 8. The floor care appliance of claim 7wherein; a. said apertured fan baffle means is disposed within saidhousing.
 9. The floor care appliance of claim 8 wherein; a. a passagewaymeans is provided from said fan housing, and b. said combined flow movesthrough said passagewaY means to be discharged from said floor careappliance.
 10. The floor care appliance of claim 9 wherein; a. saidfloor care appliance includes a boot means for guiding said auxiliaryair flow to said auxiliary fan means, b. said boot extending throughsaid housing and opening to said auxiliary fan means.